Home Blog Page 439

Ukraine peace: Vladimir Putin to discuss with Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and Petro Poroshenko by phone

Roy Siemens
-
0
Ukraine peace: Vladimir Putin to discuss with Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and Petro Poroshenko by phone

Vladimir Putin is to discuss a peace plan for east Ukraine with French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian leaders by phone.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande are pushing a plan to end bloody fighting between government and rebel forces.

Meeting the Russian president in Moscow on February 6, they agreed to four-way talks with Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko on February 8.

More than 5,000 people have been killed in the east since April.

Thousands more have been injured and more than a million have fled their homes.

Ukraine’s military reported continued shelling on February 7, accusing the rebels of preparing new offensives, while the rebels accused the government itself of attacking along the line dividing their forces.

Petro Poroshenko has called on the West for support up to and including weapons.Ukraine peace plan Vladimir Putin, Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and Petro Poroshenko

He made the plea at a security conference in Munich on February 7, when he brandished passports that he said were those of Russian troops in Ukraine.

Russia denies intervening directly in eastern Ukraine.

Angela Merkel told the conference in Munich that there was no guarantee diplomacy would succeed but it was “definitely worth trying”.

The plan is thought to be an attempt to revive a failed ceasefire deal signed in Minsk, in Belarus, in September. Since then, the rebels have seized more ground, raising alarm in Kiev and among Ukraine’s backers.

Francois Hollande said it would include a demilitarized zone of 31-44 miles around the current front line.

The French leader has described the Franco-German plan as “one of the last chances” to end the conflict.

“If we fail to find a lasting peace agreement, we know the scenario perfectly well – it has a name, it is called war,” Francois Hollande said.

The US is said to be considering pleas to send weapons to Ukraine.

Angela Merkel, however, said she could not “imagine any situation in which improved equipment for the Ukrainian army leads to President Putin being so impressed that he believes he will lose militarily”.

The statement put Angela Merkel in opposition to NATO’s top military commander, US Air Force general Philip Breedlove, who told reporters that Western allies should not “preclude out of hand the possibility of the military option”.

Vice-President Joe Biden said the US would “continue to provide Ukraine with security assistance not to encourage war, but to allow Ukraine to defend itself”.

“Let me be clear – we do not believe there is a military solution in Ukraine,” Joe Biden said.

“But let me be equally clear – we do not believe Russia has the right to do what they’re doing.”

[youtube C445vCOi7HQ 650]

Nigeria elections 2015: Electoral commission delays vote by six weeks over security fears

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Nigeria elections 2015: Electoral commission delays vote by six weeks over security fears

Nigeria has postponed the February 14 presidential election to March 28 over concerns about the security situation.

The country’s electoral commission chief Attahiru Jega said he had been told troops would not be available to help patrol the ballot because they would be fighting Boko Haram militants in the north-east.

Nigeria and four other states plan to deploy a joint force of 8,700 soldiers.

Both the Nigerian opposition and the US criticized the delay.

The head of the party of former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who is challenging incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, said the “provocative” move was a “major setback for Nigerian democracy”.Nigeria elections 2015 postponed

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US was “deeply disappointed”, adding: “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.”

Officials from the main opposition party accuse the military of forcing the electoral commission into the delay to help the sitting president’s campaign.

It looks set to be a tight race between Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari and the postponement may well increase the tension which is already palpable.

“The commission cannot lightly wave off the advice of the nation’s security chiefs,” said Attahiru Jega.

“The risk of deploying young men and women and calling people to exercise their democratic rights in a situation where their security cannot be guaranteed is a most onerous responsibility.”

Parliamentary elections due to take place on February 14 have also been postponed to March 28.

Elections for state governors and assemblies slated for February 28 have been moved to April 11.

John Odigie-Oyegun, chairman of Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, said: “I strongly appeal to all Nigerians to remain calm and deist from violence and any activity which will compound this unfortunate development.”

[youtube gQKGVi5ZqbA 650]

Brian Williams quits NBC Nightly News for several days after false Iraq story

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Brian Williams quits NBC Nightly News for several days after false Iraq story

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams says he is taking himself off air “for several days”, amid questions over false claims he came under fire in Iraq.

Brian Williams said it had become “painfully apparent” that he was too much a part of the news.

The anchor repeatedly told a story about being shot down in a chopper in Iraq but veterans disputed his account.

Brian Williams, the most-watched network anchor in the US, blamed the “fog of memory” for the lapse.

He said he would not be presenting his nightly NBC show for several days while the network investigated his claims.Brian Williams quits NBC

“Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us,” Brian Williams said in a statement.

On February 4, Brian Williams made an apology on air over his Iraq story.

“I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” he said.

“I want to apologize. I said I was travelling in an aircraft that was hit by RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] fire. I was instead in a following aircraft.”

Brian Williams’ apology came after veterans who were on the helicopter that was hit challenged his version of events.

One of them, Flight engineer Lance Reynolds, wrote: “Sorry dude, I don’t remember you being on my aircraft. I do remember you walking up about an hour after we had landed to ask me what had happened.”

Questions have also been raised about Brian Williams’ coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with one health official challenging a claim he contracted dysentery reporting on the event.

[youtube sW6AbX2q0fM 650]

Bobbi Kristina Brown: Arrest warrant issued before drowning incident

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Bobbi Kristina Brown: Arrest warrant issued before drowning incident

According to new reports, three days before Bobbi Kristina Brown was found unresponsive in a bathtub at her Atlanta home, a judge had issued a bench warrant for her arrest after she failed to appear in court for a traffic violation hearing.

Signed by Alpharetta Municipal Court Judge Lee Whiteside, the warrant states that for failure to appear on January 14 any bond paid had been forfeited and Whitney Houston’s daughter would also be responsible for any further costs to the court, the Daily Mail reported.

The issue stemmed from Bobbi Kristina Brown being pulled over September 9, 2014, for allegedly driving without a valid tag on her Lexus IS250. The maximum penalty she could have faced was having her vehicle impounded and being ordered to pay a fine of up to $2,500.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Meanwhile, the warrant has since been dismissed, the Alpharetta Polic Department announced on February 6.

“In light of recent events involving Ms Bobbi Kristina Brown, we are not focused on the warrant issue. In fact, we requested the court to recall the warrant and dismiss it -which they did,” Police spokesman George Gordon said in a statement, according to the Daily Mail.

“The important issue is we hope her friends and family find a measure of comfort during this difficult period.”

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, remains on life support at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Nick Gordon under investigation for foul play as Bobbi Kristina Brown has unexplained injuries

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Nick Gordon under investigation for foul play as Bobbi Kristina Brown has unexplained injuries

Nick Gordon is under investigation as authorities try to pinpoint how Bobbi Kristina Brown ended up facedown in her bathtub on January 31.

Meanwhile it was reported that Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, has unexplained injuries.

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s daughter was found unresponsive at her Atlanta, Georgia, home by Nick Gordon and the couple’s friend Max Lomas.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

Bobbi Kristina Brown was placed in a medically induced coma and was moved from North Fulton Hospital to Emory University Hospital on February 3.

As many family members have been filing in and out of the hospital over the last couple of days, including dad Bobby Brown and grandmother Cissy Houston, Nick Gordon has not returned to visit Bobbi Kristina in days.

Following Bobbi Kristina Brown’s hospitalization, it was also revealed via Bobby Brown’s lawyer that Whitney Houston’s daughter and Nick Gordon are not married despite announcing their supposed nuptials in January 2014.

Si Robertson explains why wife Christine and kids are not on Duck Dynasty

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Si Robertson explains why wife Christine and kids are not on Duck Dynasty

In a recent interview with In Touch magazine, Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson opens up about why his family stays out of the limelight.

Uncle Si, who is happily married to Christine Robertson since 1971, told the publication: “One woman’s got my heart. Her name is Miss Christine. We’ve been married for 43 years.”

Si and Christine Robertson have who have two children together – Trasa Cobern and Scott Merritt Robertson – and eight grandkids.

However, neither his wife nor the kids have appeared on Duck Dynasty show.Si Robertson and wife Christine

Si Robertson, 66, also revealed that Christine could be on the show, but “she’s got better sense than all the rest of us”.

“We’ve lost our privacy. I don’t really like that part of it, to be honest. But I guess that’s the cost of being famous!” he told the publication.

Si Robertson said he asked Christine Raney to marry him “at least 100 times” but she resisted because doctors told her she couldn’t have kids.

The Duck Dynasty star explained: “I said, <<Hey, the doctors don’t have the final word. I believe in a higher power>>.

“And I got two miracle babies who gave me four grandsons each.”

[youtube udWrIo-jUfk 650]

[youtube tIYjfw6T6A8 650]

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s tweet on Chinese accent sparks outrage

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s tweet on Chinese accent sparks outrage

Twitter users in Argentina and China have ridiculed President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner for poking fun at how the Chinese speak.

During a visit to China, the Argentine leader made reference to how some Chinese struggle to pronounce the letter “r”.

Tweeting in Spanish, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner wondered whether those at an event about trade were there for “lice” and “petloleum”.

Her supporters said it was a light-hearted joke, but others disagreed.Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner Twitter Chinese accent

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner suggested that the Chinese struggled to pronounce “rice”, “petroleum” and “Campora”, the Spanish name given to the youth wing of her political party.

“More than 1,000 participants at the event… Are they all from the Campola and in it only for the lice and petloleum?” she tweeted.

It was a play on a domestic political joke: her critics accuse her supporters of attending party events only so they can get a free sandwich and a soft drink.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a prolific Twitter user, later added: “Sorry. You know what? The levels of ridiculousness and absurdity are so high that they can only be digested with humor.”

Campola and China became trending topics on Twitter in Argentina and the episode filled the front pages of all newspapers.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was in China to boost trade with Argentina.

[youtube _tD0UTBHBTc 650]

Venice flooding 2015: Carnival season clashes with unusually high tides

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Venice flooding 2015: Carnival season clashes with unusually high tides

Venice has kicked off Carnival season with more flooding than usual.

High tides have flooded Venice, leading Venetians and tourists to don waterproofs and wellies and use wooden walkways to cross St Mark’s Square and other areas under water.

In other parts of the city, knee-high water forced visitors to wade carefully through the streets.

Despite the high water, thousands of tourists are expected to visit the city during this festive season. This year, there will reportedly be more security throughout the city.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The Italian city, which sits on a cluster of small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges, is experiencing higher than average water levels.

Flooding is common at this time of year and today’s peak of 55 inches (140 cm) is below the record of 63 inches.

Venice suffered its worst “acqua alta” on November 4, 1966, when it was submerged by 160 cm (63 in) of water amid catastrophic flooding throughout Italy.

Carnival of Venice ends with the beginning of Lent on Shrove Tuesday, February 17. The pre-Lent party that traces its roots back to 1162 and attracts tourists from around the world.

[youtube 3L5Rv_N-94Q 650]

Michelle Rounds: Who is Rosie O’Donnell’s second wife?

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Michelle Rounds: Who is Rosie O’Donnell’s second wife?

Rosie O’Donnell and her wife Michelle Rounds have announced their separation after less than three years of marriage.

The couple exchanged vows on June 9, 2012, in a private ceremony in New York.

Rosie O’Donnell, now 52, announced her engagement to Michelle Rounds on her OWN show in December 2011. Her publicist later confirmed the news, saying that the two got engaged weeks ago and intend to split their time between homes in New York City and Chicago.

Michelle Rounds, now 43, is a headhunter at a New York IT company who Rosie O’Donnell met in a Starbucks in 2011. They first went public with their relationship in September 2011, walking the red carpet at the Building Dreams for Kids Gala in New York City.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Rosie O’Donnell jokes that when she met Michelle Rounds, she thought that the 40-year-old was actually 28.

Michelle Rounds was diagnosed with desmoid tumors, a rare disease that only affects three out of every million people.

In 2012, O’Donnell’s rep Cindi Berger revealed: “It is such a rare tumor. It took them quite a while to get an accurate diagnosis. She had several gastrointestinal surgeries to remove the desmoid turmors. She is now on the road to recovery.”

The comedian has four children from her marriage to ex wife, Nickelodeon marketing executive Kelli Carpenter. They divorced in 2007.

Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds have adopted a baby girl named Dakota.

[youtube 0TVdNWxFolE 650]

Julian Assange policing costs reach $15 million

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Julian Assange policing costs reach $15 million

The UK has spent about £10 million ($15 million) providing a 24-hour guard at the Ecuadorean embassy in London since WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claimed asylum there, Scotland Yard figures show.

Julian Assange, who denies allegations he assaulted two women in Sweden, faces arrest if he leaves the embassy.

A WikiLeaks spokesman said the policing costs were “embarrassing”.

Deputy PM Nick Clegg said Julian Assange should go to Sweden and “face justice”.

Between June 2012 and October 2014, direct policing costs were £7.3 million ($11 million), with £1.8 million ($2.8 million) spent on overtime, police said.Julian Assange policing Ecuador embassy

Scotland Yard confirmed the cost of the operation to UK taxpayers in the first 28 months, until October 31, 2014, had reached £9 million ($13.5 million).

According to British police, the costs were covered by the budget for diplomatic protection, which provides policing for embassies in the UK.

The cost of a further three months policing is now expected to have taken the total bill to about £10 million ($15 million).

“It is embarrassing to see the UK government spending more on surveillance and detaining an uncharged political refugee than on its investigation into the Iraq war, which killed hundreds of thousands,” WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said.

Julian Assange has attacked Sweden, saying the country had “imported Guantanamo’s most shameful legal practice – indefinite detention without charge”.

In August 2014, Julian Assange indicated he would “soon” leave the embassy, where he has now been for more than 950 days, but he remains inside.

Swedish authorities want to question Julian Assange over allegations that he assaulted two women while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture in 2010.

A Swedish appeal court upheld an arrest warrant against Julian Assange in November 2014.

UK courts have repeatedly ruled that he should be extradited to Sweden to face questioning.

But Julian Assange fears he could be extradited to the US to face charges over the release of top-secret documents by WikiLeaks.

He entered Ecuador’s embassy in London after the UK’s Supreme Court dismissed his bid to reopen his appeal against extradition. He was then granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012.

Julian Assange has been warned he will be arrested if he leaves the embassy, prompting the 24-hour guard by Metropolitan Police officers.

[youtube djRI3iOhmF0 650]

Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds split after less than three years of marriage

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds split after less than three years of marriage

Rosie O’Donnell and her wife of less than three years, Michelle Rounds, have split, O’Donnell’s rep has confirmed.

She is also leaving The View daytime show after just six months. In July 2014, Rosie O’Donnell was rehired to join the ABC’s show as a co-host.

New reports claim that Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds have been living apart for months, and that O’Donnell feels she must leave The View to focus on her five kids.

Rosie O’Donnell’s publicists, Cindi Berger, confirmed the marital split, as well O’Donnell’s departure from The View, in a statement on February 6: “I can confirm that Rosie and her wife Michelle split in November. Rosie has teens and an infant at home that need her attention. This has been a very stressful situation. She is putting her personal health and family first. ABC has been wonderfully understanding and supportive of her personal decision to leave <<The View>>. Next week will be her last.”Rosie O'Donnell and Michelle Rounds split

The 52-year-old comedian married her second wife Michelle Rounds in private ceremony in June 2012.

In 2013, Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds adopted a baby girl, Dakota.

The comedian has three other older kids adopted before and during her marriage to Nickelodeon executive Kelli Carpenter. Another child was born to Kelli Carpenter through artificial insemination.

Rosie O’Donnell was married to Kelli Carpenter from 2004 to 2007.

[youtube EXT428CSjAA 650]

California storm 2015: Thousands of people without power and hundreds of flights delayed

Nancy Clayson
-
0
California storm 2015: Thousands of people without power and hundreds of flights delayed

A powerful storm lashing the West Coast has delayed hundreds of flights and left thousands of people without power in California and Nevada.

Up to 10 inches of rain is expected this weekend in parts of the drought-stricken region, but the rainfall won’t make a significant dent in California’s historic drought.

However, the storm is a welcome change after six dry weeks in the Bay Area. For the first time in recorded history, there was no measurable rainfall in downtown San Francisco in January, when winter rains usually come.

It would take 150 percent of the average rainfall for California to recover from the dry period, state water resource officials say.

However, snow is more important than rain because snowpack supplies about a third of the water needed by residents, agriculture and industry.

About 26 miles west of Seattle, an overflowing river inundated at least a half dozen homes on the Olympic Peninsula. Rescuers went door to door in Brinnon to check homes on a road partially blocked by a mudslide, Jefferson County Emergency Management spokeswoman Keppie Keplinger said.

The threat of landslides will persist into the weekend, and weather officials warn of flooding in several rivers in western Washington. Oregon also saw flooding on roadways.

Photo AP
Photo AP

In the Sierra Nevada spanning California and Nevada, strong winds blinded drivers, causing multiple car crashes. The wind snapped massive trees, closed ski resorts around Lake Tahoe and knocked out power to thousands. A 134 mph gust recorded early Friday near the Mount Rose Ski Resort southeast of Reno led the facility and two others to close.

At least a dozen people were hurt in multiple crashes on Nevada highways. No deaths were reported, but nine people were hospitalized in a crash on a stretch of US Highway 95A that involved at least eight vehicles. Three other people were hospitalized with minor injuries after five cars crashed on US 395 north of Reno near the California line.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, power lines were snapped by falling trees and the wind ripped through freeway and street signs. More than 60,000 people lost power. By Friday evening, 9,000 customers remained without power, Pacific Gas & Electric said.

San Francisco International Airport saw delays of up to 90 minutes and about 175 flights canceled Friday.

The storm is expected to drop rain through February 8, and the National Weather Service issued a heavy-rain, high wind-gust and flash-flood warning for the region through February 9.

The heaviest downpours are forecast in the North Bay, where up to 7 inches of rain is expected to overwhelm waterways and roadway-drainage systems, leading to flash flooding.

Rain has been nearly nonexistent across much of California and Nevada since December 20, halting hopes for the drought to improve. California’s second snow survey this winter found the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far below normal after a dry, unusually warm January. A greater snowpack translates to more water for California reservoirs to meet demand in summer and fall.

[youtube HndSh5hpxQc 650]

North Korea test-fires intelligent anti-ship rocket

Roy Siemens
-
0
North Korea test-fires intelligent anti-ship rocket

The North Korean state media has released on February 7 new images showing that the secretive state has test-fired a new anti-ship cruise missile.

The images were released in the lead-up to US-South Korean military exercises this spring. North Korea routinely seeks to raise tensions ahead of the annual drills, although this year Pyongyang has also offered to suspend nuclear testing if Washington calls off the exercises.

Photo KCNA
Photo KCNA

The images, which were shown on the front page of the ruling Workers’ Party Rodong Sinmun newspaper, showed leader Kim Jong-un observing the missile being fired from a small naval vessel.

State media described it as a “new type of cutting-edge anti-ship rocket” developed by North Korean scientists that will “bring a great change in the navy’s defense of territorial waters”.

The missile appeared identical in design to a Russian anti-ship missile, the KH-35, which is capable of flying at high speeds meters above the sea.

North Korea has increased the number of air and naval military drills in recent weeks, ahead of the annual US-South Korean military exercises on the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang regularly protests over the drills, which it says are a rehearsal for war.

North Korean officials have made frequent trips to Russia over the past year, where Kim Jong-un is scheduled to make his first official state visit this May.

Rosie O’Donnell quits The View for second time

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Rosie O’Donnell quits The View for second time

Rosie O’Donnell is exiting ABC’s The View for a second time, her representative has confirmed.

Rosie O’Donnell will exit the talkshow next week to concentrate on her family, following a split from wife Michelle Rounds, according to her publicist.

“I can confirm that Rosie and her wife Michelle split in November. Rosie has teens and an infant at home that need her attention,” Rosie O’Donnell’s representative Cindi Berger said in a statement.

“This has been a very stressful situation. She is putting her personal health and family first. ABC has been wonderfully understanding and supportive of her personal decision to leave <<The View>>. Next week will be her last.”Rosie ODonnell leaves The View

The View has been in a state of turmoil since last May when founding anchor Barbara Walters signed off of the roundtable 11 a.m. talker and Jenny McCarthy and Sherri Shepherd also left the panel. Rosie O’Donnell was recruited back to the show, which she co-hosted between 2006 and 2007 with much turmoil behind the scenes, along with newcomers Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace. Whoopi Goldberg, the show’s moderator and only returning member of the panel this season, is said to have butted heads with Rosie O’Donnell behind the scenes, as well as on-air.

Rosie O’Donnell had been struggling with the stress related to her divorce as well as the pressure on The View set, sources close to the situation said. The show’s lineup opened strongly in the ratings in September but viewership quickly tailed off.

Nick Gordon is not by Bobbi Kristina Brown’s bedside

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Nick Gordon is not by Bobbi Kristina Brown’s bedside

According to new reports, Nick Gordon only visited Bobbi Kristina Brown once, when she was initially admitted to North Fulton Hospital.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, has since moved to another Atlanta-area hospital for better neurological care.

“Nick hasn’t been to visit Bobbi since she moved to this hospital,” a source told Us Weekly.

“I think he’s banned from seeing her. Nick spent the entire first day with her, but hasn’t been back to see her.”

The fact of the matter is Nick Gordon is actually banned from having contact with much of the Houston family after Whitney Houston’s sister Marion Houston was granted a protective order against him last year.Nick Gordon and Bobbi Kristina Brown

Nick Gordon is not allowed to be within 200 yards of Marion Houston or her “immediate family,” which applies to seeing Bobbi Kristina Brown in the hospital since Marion is there.

His absence comes as multiple reports reveal that he and Bobbi Kristina Brown were actually never married, despite pubic and social media claims by both of them that they were.

Nick Gordon reportedly gave Bobbi Kristina Brown CPR after she was found facedown and unresponsive in a bathtub on January 31.

On February 5, Cissy Houston, Bobbi Kristina Brown’s grandmother and Whitney’s mother, arrived in Georgia to be with the family.

Though doctors have reportedly told Bobby Brown to take Bobbi Kristina off of life support, Bobby is apparently steadfast in his belief that a miracle will happen and that his daughter will pull out of it. Bobby Brown told a reporter on February 5 that the family was praying heavily.

Gauguin painting sells for record $300 million becoming most expensive artwork ever sold

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Gauguin painting sells for record $300 million becoming most expensive artwork ever sold

A Paul Gauguin painting of two Tahitian girls has been sold for record $300 million, making it the most expensive work of art ever sold.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) was painted in 1892 and had been owned by a Swiss collector.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the painting was sold to a museum in Qatar.

Qatar paid the previous highest price for a painting, a work by Paul Cezanne which sold for $259 million.

Before its sale, the Gauguin artwork had been owned by Rudolf Staechelin, a collector from Basel.

For decades it had been on loan to the Kunstmuseum Basel but Rudolf Staechelin decided to sell the painting after a disagreement with the museum, the New York Times reported.Nafea Faa Ipoipo Paul Gauguin

Rudolf Staechelin told the New York Times he would not divulge the identity of the buyer.

It was not immediately clear where the sale had taken place.

However the paper, which first reported the sale, quoted sources saying the painting had been sold to Qatari buyers.

Officials in Qatar have not yet confirmed the purchase.

The sheikhdom’s royal family has in recent years spent vast amounts of money on Western art.

Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al-Thani, a former minister of culture who died last year, lavished more than $1 billion of the country’s money on artworks.

[youtube KNO93NUI3H4 650]

Nicolas Maduro orders takeover of private supermarket chain Dia Dia

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Nicolas Maduro orders takeover of private supermarket chain Dia Dia

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has ordered the takeover of private supermarket chain Dia Dia by the state food agency.

During a TV address, Nicolas Maduro accused Dia Dia of hoarding food during huge shortages in the country.

This week, soldiers and government workers were sent to branches of Dia Dia supermarket and Farmatodo pharmacy chain to supervise sales.

Venezuela has been in economic crisis after the drop in oil prices.Venezuela takes over Dia a Dia supermarket

Analysts say currency controls that restrict the availability of dollars for imports have played a key role in creating the scarcity of many items.

Directors and executives from both Dia Dia and pharmacy chain Farmatodo were arrested on charges of destabilizing the economy.

President Nicolas Maduro did not say that the takeover of the Dia a Dia chain would be permanent.

He said the chain “was waging war against the population” and the national food distribution agency would take over its running.

Nicolas Maduro has said many businessmen are conducting an “economic war”, colluding with the political opposition to oust his government.

[youtube tqP-s0Kn8p0 650]

Ukraine peace plan: Vladimir Putin held “constructive” talks with Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Ukraine peace plan: Vladimir Putin held “constructive” talks with Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held “constructive” talks with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on efforts to end the conflict in east Ukraine, a Kremlin spokesman says.

Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Putin, Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel met for more than five hours.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande had brought to Moscow a peace proposal whose details have not been released.

Russia is accused of arming pro-Russian separatists – a claim it denies.

The Kremlin also rejects claims by Ukraine and the West that its regular troops are fighting alongside the rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Clashes have left nearly 5,400 people dead since April 2014, the UN says.

A September ceasefire, signed in Minsk in Belarus, has failed to stop the violence. Since then the rebels have seized more ground, raising alarm in Kiev and among Ukraine’s backers.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The peace proposal Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande took to Moscow on February 6 was crafted with the Ukrainian government the day before.

After the two leaders’ discussions with Vladimir Putin, French officials told AFP they had been “constructive and substantial”.

Dmitry Peskov said work was continuing on a joint document. Further talks will be held by phone on February 7, he added.

Earlier, Francois Hollande said the aim was not just a ceasefire but a “comprehensive agreement” – although Angela Merkel said it was “totally open” whether that could be achieved.

Major questions any plan would have to address include the route of any new ceasefire line – given the rebel advances of recent weeks – how to enforce it, and the future status of the conflict zone.

Moscow is still denying any direct role in the conflict, while Kiev insists above all that Ukraine must remain united, our correspondent says.

Washington is considering Ukrainian pleas for better weaponry to fend off the rebels, raising European fears of an escalation in the conflict and spurring the latest peace bid.

[youtube a5hvS65qvpE 650]

Kayla Jean Mueller: ISIS claims American hostage was killed in Jordanian air strike in Syria

Roy Siemens
-
0
Kayla Jean Mueller: ISIS claims American hostage was killed in Jordanian air strike in Syria

An American female hostage has been killed in a Jordanian air strike in Syria, Islamic State (ISIS) militants have said.

ISIS named the woman as aid worker Kayla Jean Mueller in statements online.

The group provided no other proof for the claim beyond pictures of the alleged site of the air strike, in Raqqa, the group’s stronghold in Syria.

The White House said it was “deeply concerned” by the reports but that it has yet to verify them. Jordan has questioned the ISIS claims.

A graduate of Northern Arizona University, Kayla Jean Mueller, 26, first came to the Turkish/Syrian border in 2012 to work with refugees.

She was abducted while working in Aleppo, Syria the following year.

The ISIS statement said she was killed in the building where she was being held. It did not provide images of a body.Kayla Jean Mueller killed by ISIS

If Kayla Jean Mueller’s death is confirmed, she would be the fourth American to die while being held by ISIS. Journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid worker Peter Kassig were beheaded by the group.

The Jordanian foreign minister Nasser Judeh tweeted that the ISIS claims were: “An old and sick trick used by terrorists and despots for decades: claiming that hostages [and] human shields held captive are killed by air raids.”

Jordan said it carried out aerial bombardments on ISIS targets in Syria on February 5, including on Raqqa.

The strikes were carried out in response to the killing of Jordanian fighter pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh by ISIS militants.

A video of Moaz al-Kasasbeh being burned alive in a cage was posted online by ISIS earlier this week.

Moaz al-Kasasbeh was captured by militants in December after his F-16 fighter jet crashed in Syria. The video is believed to have been filmed on January 3.

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Thursday’s strikes were “upping the ante” against ISIS.

Thousands rallied in Jordan’s capital, Amman, on February 6 in support of their government’s military response. Among those marching was Jordan’s Queen Rania.

[youtube p6E0gEr1cBs 650]

Alicia Etheridge pregnant 2015: Bobby Brown’s wife expecting couple’s second child

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Alicia Etheridge pregnant 2015: Bobby Brown’s wife expecting couple’s second child

Bobby Brown’s manager and wife of more than two years, Alicia Etheridge, is 4-month pregnant with the couple’s second child.

This will be Bobby Brown’s 6th child.

Bobby Brown, 46, already shares son Cassius, 5, with Alicia Etheridge and had sons Landon, 26, and Bobby Jr., 21, and daughter LaPrincia, 25, between 1986 and 1992 with ex-girlfriend Kim Ward.

The R&B singer and late Whitney Houston welcomed daughter Bobbi Kristina in 1993.Alicia Etheridge pregnant with second child

Bobby Brown is currently in Atlanta by Bobbi Kristina’s side as she struggles for her life after being found unconscious and face down in her bathtub on January 31.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, was placed in a medically-induced coma.

Alicia Etheridge joined Bobby Brown in Georgia to briefly celebrate his 46th birthday and to be at Bobbi Kristina’s bedside.

Drugs found at Bobbi Kristina Brown’s home in Atlanta

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Drugs found at Bobbi Kristina Brown’s home in Atlanta

Roswell Police Department has launched an investigation after finding drugs at Bobbi Kristina Brown’s home.

Police is said to have discovered the narcotics shortly after Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, was discovered unresponsive in a bathtub at her Atlanta home on January 31, family sources have told TMZ.

Bobbi Kristina Brown is currently “fighting for her life” in Emory University Hospital.

Her husband Nick Gordon and her ex-boyfriend Max Lomas were the first to arrive at the scene. According to Fulton County Jail records, Maxwell Lomas, 24, was arrested early last year on suspicion of drug dealing and was charged with possession and intent to distribute cannabis as well as possession of Alprazolam.Drugs found at Bobbi Kristina Brown home

Max Lomas was also charged with possessing a firearm or knife while attempting to commit a crime.

While the police department originally reported they had found no traces of drugs in Bobbi Kristina Brown’s home, they have since revealed they believe she may have been under the influence when she was discovered in the bathroom.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, who is thought to have spent minutes underwater, has been placed in a medically-induced coma after being found with “no heartbeat”.

Whitney Houston’s daughter is said to have “opened and closed” her eyes a few times on February 2.

A source close to Bobbi Kristina Brown’s family said she remains on life support in the intensive care unit and doctors have warned that they won’t be able to tell if she has suffered brain damage until the sedatives can be reduced.

[youtube hXV_zTcE6SE 650]

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s relatives get into brawl at W Atlanta Midtown Hotel

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Bobbi Kristina Brown’s relatives get into brawl at W Atlanta Midtown Hotel

Two members of Bobbi Kristina Brown’s family got into a brawl at W Atlanta Midtown Hotel on Friday morning, while Whitney Houston’s daughter remains on life support at Emory University Hospital.

Atlanta police confirmed they responded to a fight call at the W Atlanta Midtown Hotel, Billboard reported.

“Fight call was involving the family members of Pop Star Bobby Brown. One victim Shayne Brown was struck in the head with a bottle by suspect Tina Brown,” Officer Kim Jones told Billboard.Bobbi Kristina Brown family fight

Shayne Brown is Bobby Brown’s cousin; Tina Brown is Bobby Brown’s sister.

“Mr. Shayne Brown chose to drive himself to the hospital,” Kim Jones continued.

“Mrs. Tina Brown left the scene before police arrived. The motive of the fight is unclear at this time. Mr. Shayne Brown received lacerations to his head. “

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, was found face down in a bathtub over the weekend by Nick Gordon.

[youtube -dMV01j-dDE 650]

Bobby Brown insists Bobbi Kristina should remain on life support

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Bobby Brown insists Bobbi Kristina should remain on life support

Bobby Brown is insisting that doctors at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta keep his comatose daughter Bobbi Kristina on life support, believing that a miracle can save her, TMZ reports.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, has been in a medically induced coma since she was found submerged in a bathtub in her home on January 31.

But doctors have reportedly told the family there’s nothing more they can do to save Whitney Houston’s daughter.

However, Bobby Brown, 46, was refusing to say farewell to his stricken daughter and was praying for divine intervention, the gossip website said.

Meanwhile family sources told TMZ he could change his mind, but simply wasn’t able to handle making such a tragic decision on his birthday, which was on February 5.Bobby Brown and daughter Bobbi Kristina

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s cousin Jerod Brown said in an Instagram post that things did not look optimistic.

“Though it seems the odds are against her, though doctors don’t see any hope for change … though it looks impossible for her to stand again STILL PRAY FOR BK,” Jerod Brown said on Instagram, where he posts as yfkennedy.

The painful ordeal involving his only daughter with late pop diva Whitney Houston unfolded against another bit of news for Bobby Brown; his wife, Alicia Etheridge, is four months pregnant.

Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge already has one son together, 5-year-old Cassius.

According to E!, Brown and some 20 family members took a brief break from the vigil they were holding at Emory University Hospital on Thursday night to celebrate his birthday and the pregnancy at a nearby restaurant.

[youtube PYuUEK6qLck 650]

Bobbi Kristina Brown spent up to 15 minutes underwater

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Bobbi Kristina Brown spent up to 15 minutes underwater

According to new reports, Bobbi Kristina Brown might have been submerged for 15 minutes before being discovered in her bathtub.

Whitney Houston’s daughter is currently fighting for her life in an Atlanta hospital, but Roswell police continue to investigate the happenings that took place last Saturday morning that resulted in Bobbi Kristina Brown’s nearly drowning in her bathtub.

The E! News reported that while police aren’t considering this a criminal investigation just yet, they are actively looking into multiple people that might have been connected to Bobbi Kristina Brown.

Whitney Houston’s daughter received a visit on Saturday morning from a Comcast Xfinity cable technician, which prompted Max Lomas and Nick Gordon to go looking for her. Bobbi Kristina Brown bathtub drowning

Max Lomas apparently didn’t rush to the bathroom out of fear something was wrong with his friend’s girlfriend, but instead sought her out to get help for the cable guy. He entered when she didn’t respond to his knocks and calls.

“When Max found her he called for Nick,” a source told E! News.

Nick Gordon then proceeded to perform CPR on Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21. The source estimates that it could have been close to half-an-hour before any significant oxygen flow was returned into Bobbi Kristina Brown’s respiratory system when the paramedic arrived.

Max Lomas has told police that he doesn’t recall whether or not the bathroom door was locked at the time. But according to the source, investigators continue to press him on this because initially he had told them that the door was locked. Because he wasn’t sure if it was hard to open or actually locked, he allegedly changed his story to say he didn’t remember.

Investigators have interviewed both Maxwell Lomas and Nick Gordon multiple times and have been cooperating with authorities. The investigation has been “thorough and professional.” Police haven’t indicated any reason to believe foul play is involved.

Max Lomas and Nick Gordon partied together at an Atlanta nightclub the night before, but Bobbi Kristina Brown didn’t go with them, the source says. She was home when they returned around 6 a.m. Saturday morning. But police have been trying not only to piece together what happened after they came back but also what Bobbi Kristina Brown was doing and with whom in the hours prior.

Police have left open the possibility that someone was with her at home, and the source says it could have been Max Lomas’ girlfriend. The source also adds that police are skeptical to believe that only the cable guy, Max Lomas and Nick Gordon were in the house that morning, which is why they have been asking nearby employees whether or not they saw anyone hop Bobbi Kristina Brown’s fence.

[youtube -mF4TWTH4TY 650]

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande arrive in Moscow for peace talks with Vladimir Putin

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande arrive in Moscow for peace talks with Vladimir Putin

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are meeting Russia’s Vladimir Putin to try to end escalating fighting in Ukraine.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande are taking to Moscow a peace proposal crafted in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on February 5, but details have not been released.

Meanwhile a truce has allowed civilians to leave Debaltseve, at the heart of the latest fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Russia is accused of arming pro-Russian separatists – a claim it denies.

The Kremlin also rejects claims by Ukraine and the West that its regular troops are fighting alongside the rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Clashes have left nearly 5,400 people dead since April 2014, the UN says.

A September ceasefire, signed in Minsk, Belarus, has failed to stop the violence. Since then the rebels have seized more ground, raising alarm in Kiev and among Ukraine’s backers.Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande in Moscow peace talks

Before he left for Moscow on February 6, Francois Hollande said the goal of his visit was not just a ceasefire, but a “comprehensive agreement” – though Angela Merkel said it was “totally open” whether that could be achieved.

Meanwhile Vice-President Joe Biden accused Russia of “continuing to escalate the conflict” and “ignoring every agreement”.

Joe Biden was speaking in Brussels, where he is meeting top EU officials.

He accused Vladimir Putin of continuing “to call for new peace plans as his tanks roll through the Ukrainian countryside”.

He said Russia could “not be allowed to redraw the map of Europe”.

Ukraine is also set to dominate an annual multi-lateral security conference in Munich.

The fighting has intensified in recent weeks after a rebel offensive, and a temporary truce was declared in Debaltseve on February 6, where Ukrainian forces are fighting to hold the town against surrounding rebels.

Convoys of buses travelled to the town on Friday to evacuate civilians who had been forced to shelter underground from the bombing.

They were escorted by monitors from the OSCE security watchdog, Reuters reported.

Washington is considering Ukrainian pleas for better weaponry to fend off the rebels, raising European fears of an escalation in the conflict and spurring the latest peace bid.

On February5, Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel examined the peace proposal with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, without releasing any details.

Moscow says it is ready for “constructive dialogue” – though still denying any direct role in the conflict – while Kiev insists above all that Ukraine must remain united.

A spokesman for the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin would discuss “the fastest possible end to the civil war in south-eastern Ukraine”.

Some 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since April 2014, when the rebels seized a big swathe of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

[youtube OaFJIs8HIXg 650]

1...438439440...1,245Page 439 of 1,245